Lightfoot's songs, including "For Lovin' Me", "Early Morning Rain", "Steel Rail Blues", "Ribbon of Darkness"—a number one hit on the U.S. country chart with Marty Robbins's cover in 1965—and "Black Day in July," about the 1967 Detroit riot, brought him wide recognition in the 1960s. Canadian chart success with his own recordings began in 1962 with the No. 3 hit "(Remember Me) I'm the One", followed by recognition and charting abroad in the 1970s. He topped the US Hot 100 or AC chart with the hits "If You Could Read My Mind" (1970), "Sundown" (1974); "Carefree Highway" (1974), "Rainy Day People" (1975), and "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald" (1976), and had many other hits that appeared in the top 40.
Several of Lightfoot's albums achieved gold and multi-platinum status internationally. His songs have been recorded by renowned artists such as Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Hank Williams Jr., The Kingston Trio, Jerry Lee Lewis, Neil Young, Bob Dylan, Judy Collins, Barbra Streisand, Johnny Mathis, Herb Alpert, Harry Belafonte, Sarah McLachlan, Eric Clapton, John Mellencamp, Peter, Paul and Mary, Glen Campbell, The Grateful Dead, Nico, and Olivia Newton-John.
Robbie Robertson of the Band described Lightfoot as "a national treasure". Bob Dylan, also a Lightfoot fan, called him one of his favorite songwriters and, in an often-quoted tribute, Dylan observed that when he heard a Lightfoot song he wished "it would last forever". Lightfoot was a featured musical performer at the opening ceremonies of the 1988 Winter Olympic Games in Calgary, Alberta. He received an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from Trent University in Spring 1979 and was made a Companion of the Order of Canada in May 2003. In November 1997, the Governor General's Performing Arts Award, Canada's highest honour in the performing arts, was bestowed on Lightfoot. On February 6, 2012, Lightfoot was presented with the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal by the Lieutenant Governor of Ontario. June of that year saw his induction into the Songwriters Hall of Fame. On June 6, 2015, Lightfoot received an honorary doctorate of music in his hometown of Orillia from Lakehead University.
As an individual, apart from various awards associated with his albums and singles, Gordon Lightfoot has received sixteen Juno Awards—for top folk singer in 1965, 1966, 1968, 1969,[67] 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976 and 1977, for top male vocalist in 1967, 1970, 1971, 1972 and 1973, and as composer of the year in 1972 and 1976. He has received ASCAP awards for songwriting in 1971, 1974, 1976, and 1977, and has been nominated for five Grammy Awards. In 1974 Lightfoot's song "Sundown" was named pop record of the year by the Music Operators of America. In 1980 he was named Canadian male recording artist of the decade, for his work in the 1970s.
Lightfoot was chosen as the celebrity captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs for the NHL's 75th anniversary season in 1991–1992.
Lightfoot was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame in 1986 and the Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame in 2001. He was inducted into Canada's Walk of Fame in 1998. In May 2003 he was made a Companion of the Order of Canada, the country's highest civilian honour. Lightfoot is a member of the Order of Ontario, the highest honour in the province of Ontario. In 1977, he received the Vanier Award from the Canadian Jaycees. In 2007 Canada Post honoured Lightfoot and three other Canadian music artists (Anne Murray, Paul Anka, and Joni Mitchell) with postage stamps highlighting their names and images. On June 24, 2012, Lightfoot was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in a New York City ceremony, along with Bob Seger.
Between 1986 and 1988, Lightfoot's friend Ken Danby (1940–2007), the realist painter, worked on a large (60 × 48 inches) portrait of Lightfoot dressed in the white suit he wore on the cover of the album East of Midnight. The picture was backlit by the sun, creating a visually iconic image of the singer.
On June 16, 2014, Lightfoot was awarded the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award by SOCAN at the 2014 SOCAN Awards in Toronto.
On October 23, 2015, Lightfoot was honoured with a 4-metre tall bronze sculpture in his hometown of Orillia, Ontario. The sculpture, called Golden Leaves—A Tribute to Gordon Lightfoot, features Lightfoot sitting cross-legged, playing an acoustic guitar underneath an arch of golden maple leaves. Many of the leaves depict scenes from Lightfoot's 1975 greatest hits album, Gord's Gold.
In 2017, he was awarded the Gold Medal of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society
He was the subject of Martha Kehoe and Joan Tosoni's 2019 documentary film Gordon Lightfoot: If You Could Read My Mind.
Gordon passed away on May 1st, 2023 at the age of 84.
Ordinary Man
Gordon Lightfoot Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm not your ordinary man, still I can't deny
You go with me everywhere
When I'm dreamin' you still share my lonely nights
Try to see my side
It's not your ordinary pride that keeps drivin' me on
It's that lonesome, restless feelin' that you feel under the gun
And it leads me to the highways but it keeps my body warm
And as I wander to the cities and the towns
I get so lonesome knowin' you could be around
And when the show is over, there's a holiday motel
Another empty bottle and another tale to tell
Try to comprehend
I'm not your ordinary friend at the end of my life
I would pray that I could be
Returning to the shelter of your love
Try to see my side
It's not your ordinary pride that keeps drivin' me on
It's that lonesome, restless feelin' that you feel under the gun
And it leads me to the highways but it keeps my body warm
And as I wander to the cities and the towns
I get so lonesome knowin' you could be around
And when the show is over, there's a holiday motel
Another empty bottle and another tale to tell
Try to understand
I'm not your ordinary man, still I can't deny
You go with me everywhere
Like a shadow in the gloom
I remember all the good times
There's a ghost in every room
In "Ordinary Man," Gordon Lightfoot sings about his restlessness and his longing for love, companionship, and a sense of belonging. He emphasizes that he is not an "ordinary man," rather he is constantly searching for something more. Despite this, he cannot deny that the person he longs for is with him even in his dreams, and he wishes that he could return to the safety and comfort of their love at the end of his life. Throughout the song, he describes this lonesome feeling that drives him on the highways, leading him to empty motels with bottles of alcohol, always searching for something more but never finding it. He acknowledges that even in his good memories there is a ghost in every room, a reminder of the love and companionship that he has lost.
The lyrics of "Ordinary Man" demonstrate Lightfoot's gift for lyrical storytelling and his ability to convey complex emotions through his music. The song beautifully captures the universal human experience of feeling lost and alone, searching for something that is always just out of reach.
Line by Line Meaning
Try to understand
Please make an effort to comprehend.
I'm not your ordinary man, still I can't deny
I'm so unique, although you may not see it, but I'm aware of it.
You go with me everywhere
You're always on my mind, even when I'm not physically with you.
When I'm dreamin' you still share my lonely nights
You keep me company in my dreams when I'm feeling lonely.
Try to see my side
Please take a moment to understand my perspective.
It's not your ordinary pride that keeps drivin' me on
It's not about ego, but rather an indescribable feeling that motivates me.
It's that lonesome, restless feelin' that you feel under the gun
A feeling of loneliness and unease that can be overwhelming and stressful.
And it leads me to the highways but it keeps my body warm
It drives me to travel, explore, and experience new things, which keeps me feeling alive and invigorated.
And as I wander to the cities and the towns
As I wander aimlessly throughout various places.
I get so lonesome knowin' you could be around
I feel lonely, despite knowing that you could be nearby.
And when the show is over, there's a holiday motel
Once the performance is finished, I retreat to a temporary place of lodging.
Another empty bottle and another tale to tell
Another bout of drinking and another story to recite.
I'm not your ordinary friend at the end of my life
I'm not just an average friend, and I know that towards the end of my life.
I would pray that I could be
I would hope that I could have the opportunity.
Returning to the shelter of your love
To come back to the loving embrace and protection you provide.
Like a shadow in the gloom
A constant companion, much like a shadow that appears in darkness.
I remember all the good times
I reminisce about all of the pleasant and enjoyable moments.
There's a ghost in every room
Each room is filled with memories, and these memories linger like ghosts.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: GORDON LIGHTFOOT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Ben - Moderator
on Is There Anyone Home
We have now corrected this above
Glenn
on Is There Anyone Home
The note state that this song ("Is there anyone home?") was released in 1998 on the album "A Painter Passing Through". That is not correct, the song doesn't even appear on that album at all. The original release date was 1974 on "Sundown" album. Easily verified on Wikipedia or a hundred other websites.